New Episode: Look Blue Skies and Banned Coffee
Season 5 Episode 137
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Weather lore meets hard data when a Texas armadillo steps in for Pennsylvania’s groundhog and calls for a shorter, milder winter. That playful forecast sets up a sober look at a volatile week: warm air surging north, Gulf moisture feeding storms, and a cold push sharpening the clash zone. We talk timing, regional risk, and the need for practical readiness.
From there we pivot to a surprising history lesson: coffee, now a daily ritual for millions, was banned multiple times across centuries. Authorities in Mecca shuttered coffee houses in 1511, worried about “intoxication of the mind” and the buzz of dissent in public gatherings. sultan rulers later cracked down even harder, at times making public coffee drinking a capital offense. Sweden experimented with bans and strange medical trials, while Frederick the Great raged against imports and tried to keep coffee for elites, pushing commoners toward beer. These stories aren’t just trivia; they show how a simple cup can become a symbol of community and speech. Coffee houses were proto-social networks where news spread and ideas sharpened. Attempts to suppress coffee often masked fear of people talking freely.
We return to earth science with a compact quake roundup: total global counts, where the strongest activity clustered, and why magnitude six events deserve attention. Context matters—high-4s and 5s are common and not always headline material, but six and above can change days and maps. The recent week trended quieter, which is good news, though seismicity ebbs and flows.
Up above, the sun’s been calm, with few sunspots, only B-class flares, and a modest solar flux. For radio operators and anyone curious about space weather, that means a lower noise floor and steadier propagation, even if signals don’t boom.
Finally, we chase the question of where to find the bluest sky. Humidity, aerosols, dust, and smoke all scatter light, muting blue and whitening the horizon. High, dry, clean-air places—think polar plateaus or elevated deserts—often reveal a deeper sapphire dome. A striking Antarctica image drives the point home: few flights, low particulates, and razor-dry air create color that feels unreal. That observation nudges a broader thought about human activity and what we normalize when we look up. The same sky can be a weather map, a physics lesson, a radio pathway, and a canvas for culture. Whether we’re laughing at satire, tracking storms, or sipping a once-banned brew, paying attention is the real habit we’re championing.
Until next time. May the Father’s love go with you. 73.
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